Pokemon: When Two Fates Collide
by MatrixDan
Summary: A boy who holds a strange gift, some might even say its a curse. He must learn to live with it for the rest of his life. Or will he uncover something else, something much bigger than he had first thought? Follow him on his quest to understand what true power he holds, and the truth behind his fatefull encounter... Rated M for a lot of reasons. *I will add warnings when needed*
1. Are you real?

**Hey! It's been awhile since I've last updated a story, or made a story at that. Now I'm back with yet another story that I've had on my mind for a while now, and I hope you enjoy it!**

 **P.S I am currently working on another chapter for my halo story, but I want to take a break from it for a while so I can work on making it a much better reading experience than it is now. I hope you can understand.**

 **Disclaimer* I do not own Pokemon or any of its characters. I only own my OC's.**

 _-The Family House-_

It was a dark and stormy Friday night. Perched next to an open window was a boy around 16 years of age. He sat in silence, watching the sudden bursts of lightning as they fought a raging battle against the darkness of the night sky.

He is tall and quiet with dark brown hair and eyes to match with a calm and caring personality. But aside from someone's usual appearance, he holds a secret gift. Some might go as far as to even call it a curse. But either way, it's one that would forever change his life. One that no one knew about, including himself.

He watched the trees of the nearby Lostlorn Forest, dance in the wind. The forest was one of the few things he enjoyed and found comfort in, even going so far as to use it as his very own sanctuary. Sometimes spending hours on end roaming the vast woodland.

It is a beautiful, enchanting landscape, filled to the brim with trees and various types of flowers. It's most known for its ability to cause people to lose their way, becoming lost, though he never found this to be a problem. He thought of it as his home, outside of home.

He was startled by a knock at his door, followed by a familiar voice. "Daniel? Are you in here?"

He pulled himself away from the window to face the door. "Yeah, Mom?"

"I'm going to be leaving soon and won't be back until later tomorrow. Do you mind if I speak with you?" He took one look around his room before letting out a sigh. He hated any form of confrontation, even if it was only his mother. "Come in." he replied.

The door opened to reveal a middle aged woman dressed in a nurse outfit. She had dark brown hair identical to that of his, but her eyes were a bright blue.

"Your father told me about what happened in school today." she said, pulling up a chair next to him. Daniel crossed his arms and looked out through the window.

"What would he know? He's never around anyway." he remarked with a bit of disgust. Earning himself a disappointed look in return.

"You know your father loves you just as much as I do. He's just off—"

"-Working. I know." (I don't buy it…) he answered back.

"Then why don't you lighten up on him a bit?" she asked, gently grabbing his chin and turning it to one side, "now let me have a look at you."

On his left cheek was a bruise and a cut just above his upper lip. She looked him the eyes, giving a look of disappointment. He wasn't a fighter, and she knew that, but if the time arose, he would if forced to.

"It's nothing Mom, I swear." She let out a sigh as she stood from the chair with a look of sympathy and compassion.

"That's no way to handle things, and you know it."

"Mom, I—"

"If it's really that hard for you, how about I hire a private tutor? You won't have to deal with them anymore."

He looked at her trying to sense whether or not she was being serious. She was the only person he knew that he could count on. She was the only one in his family to treat him with utmost respect, or any at all for that matter. Though to be fair, neither one of his parents were ever really home. His father, a businessman, never set aside time to spend with him. His mother on the other hand worked at a Pokémon center away from home. She would check up on him periodically, whether it be by phone, or in person. He was left home alone for extended periods of time, alone, and with really no friends to talk to.

"Really? You'd do that?" His eyes began to water. He would no longer have to face being teased and ridiculed by his peers.

"I'll look into it." she replied, giving him a warm smile. She leaned forward to bring him in for a hug, but to her astonishment, watched as he once again pulled away towards the window.

"What is it?" she asked confused.

He raised his hand and waved her off, hoping it would quiet her. "Do you hear that...?" he asked in a whisper.

Both of them stood in silence, the only audible thing to be heard was the constant roar of thunder and rain.

"Hear what? What's the matter?" She tried to imagine what he was hearing. Though she could make no sense of the situation.

"Something's crying… for help…" he stood from the window, trying think of a way to tell his mother what he is experiencing without causing her alarm. Normally she would just talk to him about what was happening, convincing him to ignore such things.

"I can sense it…it's a strange feeling…nothing like I've had before."

"Sense what?" she asked. "are you feeling alright?" she had always questioned her son's strange behavior, seeing how it wasn't exactly normal.

"It's like it's…hurt..." he said with a hint of caring in his tone. Closing the window, he turned and grabbed his hoodie off from the coat rack in his room.

"Now where are you going? It's late, and if you couldn't tell, there's a storm passing by. Not to mention I need to leave—"

"-Mom, it won't take long—"

"-What won't take long? you're not planning on actually going out there are you?" she asked nervously, shocked by his actions.

"Mom, I need to—"

"-No, what reason do you have for going out so late?" She cut him off. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"It's out there, and it needs my help," he pleaded, taking a few steps to go around her, "you need to trust me on this, it's something much different than before, I can feel it."

"It's just like any other time Daniel. Just ignore it."

"I told you I can't this time, I—"

"-You're willing to put your life at risk for something that may not even exist? Something that might not even be real?" she asked stepping in front of the door, stopping his advance.

He looked at her in shock, wondering what to say. More like what could he say? Of all people, his mother was the one that would give him advice and talk to him when he needed it most. But there she stood, asking him if it was just another one of his delusions. He began to wonder if she thought he was even sane…

"I can't believe you," he answered back with a shaky voice, "out of anybody… wh-why you…?" Tears began to fall once more, not out of joy, but anger.

"I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean—" she tried to correct herself but it was too late. The damage was done.

"-No. Just…forget it!" he interrupted her.

Her words carried no weight, they passed straight through him. He was pushed beyond his limit, shoving her out of the way. He hurried out of his room and down the flight of stairs, almost tripping over his own feet as tears ran down his face. When he reached the door he threw on his newly bought pair of shoes, not caring what might happen to them, and Slipped on the hoodie he picked up from his room. He flung the door open, slamming it behind him.

She watched as he ran head-on into the unknown. She made no effort to stop him however, even if she had tried, she knew he would've gone anyway. He was in no position to be reasoned with, and she realized that.

She grabbed her car keys and headed out the front door, regretting everything she had just done. By no means did she want to upset him. Part of her wanted to believe in her son, but how? None of this made any sense to her, perhaps it is something beyond her understanding. Or maybe the answer could be found much easier than she imagined.

"I hope he can forgive me," she sighed, "he just needs time…"

-Lostlorn Forest-

The rain thickened, showing no mercy to whomever was within its downpour. In combination, the wind was almost unbearable. At times, Daniel could only see a few feet in front of himself.

He emerged from a group of small bushes, wandering deeper and deeper into the thick of things, searching for whatever it was he heard. He was completely soaked, and no part of him was left untouched by the heavy amount of rainfall. The tears that once covered his face were long gone, and his new shoes were all but that as he was trekking in mud up to his ankles.

Another loud boom rang out followed by a flash of light. He could see a large tree which had been knocked down, perhaps as a result of the violent storm. When he approached the tree he began to feel something strange. The back of his neck had begun to tingle alongside the tips of his fingers.

Behind the tree was a thick layer of brush, and beyond that was a large boulder. He felt as if he were about to throw up as another strange sensation washed over him. Daniel quickly walked around the enormous rock, feeling his heart sink at what he saw.

Laying against the stump of the tree was a badly beaten and unusual looking Zorua with dark blue markings instead of the usual red, though wasn't what caught his eye the most. It appeared to be, human-like? It was clearly exhausted and cold, and almost instinctively made it out to be a girl.

Her little body shivered in response each time a gust of wind kicked by. The fur on her body was rough, and matted. It saddened him to see her like this. Though there was something odd about the Pokémon, something that didn't quite feel right to him.

"Are you the one I was hearing?" he whispered as he leaned down to get a better look, taking notice to the countless scratches and blood covering her fur. She didn't move or make any effort to respond. She was out cold.

He reached out, gently picking her up as to not cause her any discomfort. He held her snugly in his arms as he hurried back to the house as fast as he could.

-A few minutes later-

He walked up the path to the front gate, taking notice that his mother's car was missing. He could see that the porch lights were left on, greeting him home with a warm welcome.

He hurried inside and locked the door behind him. He then took off his muddy shoes and socks, leaving them next to a rug by the door.

He walked up the staircase, careful not to disturb the Pokémon in his arms. Opening the door to his room, he gently placed her on the bed and rushed to the bathroom.

Daniel began throwing cupboards open in search for the medical supplies his mother had stashed away from the Pokémon Center. After rummaging through everything, he managed to find some bandages and a small potion.

He wasted no time getting right to work, applying the bandages and spraying generous amounts where he believed it was needed, ultimately using up the entire bottle.

"There, all better." he proclaimed as he checked over the bandaging. He did his best to fix her matted fur, taking a wet washcloth and cleaning certain areas.

(Now, just what exactly happened to you?) He looked her over trying to come up with any sort of reasonable explanation as to what may have happened. Perhaps she was running from something? But why? Where are her parents?

Snapping out of his brainstorm of scenarios, he remembered something his aunt had given him for his 12th birthday. He grabbed a small golden key hidden under one of his floorboards, using it to open up a locked chest under his bed. Inside were a slew of items, ranging from money he had been saving up as a kid, to a Poke Ball he had gotten. He reached in, grabbing the item he was looking for. His Pokedex.

He blew the dust off of it, taking a seat next to the bed, coughing from the cloud of dust. This was the first time he used it in over 3 years.

He pointed it towards the Zorua in question, scanning her figure. It gave a general description and displayed the Pokémon's information.

 **Pokedex Data:**

 **National# 570**

 **Type – Dark**

 **Average height – 2'4"**

 **Weight – 27.6 pounds**

 **Abilities – Illusion.**

 **Zorua, the Tricky Fox Pokémon. Zorua hides its true form by changing its shape into people and Pokémon, and loves to surprise people. Bonds between these Pokemon are very strong, and it protects the safety of it's pack by tricking its opponents.**

"What...?" He glanced back at the Zorua, comparing her to the one in the Pokédex. For starters, where certain parts of fur should be red, hers were an aqua blue. The Zorua in the Pokédex is small and walks on all fours. But she's much taller, probably around 4'5. And instead of hind legs, hers were long and slender. She didn't have the roughly padded paws of an animal, but the soft, gentle hands of a person. The longer he stared, the less she looked like a pokémon.

(This is supposed to be a Zorua? But, she's...) He took another look at the Pokédex, this time reading the entry. It says Zoruas can hide their true form, even taking on the same shape as people.

(I'm being...tricked?) He dropped the Pokédex, remembering what his mother said.

"You're willing to put your life at risk for something that may not even exist? Something that might not even be real?" Those words hurt him, because instead of seeing a wild Pokémon, he saw a girl...

"You are not...fake..." Tears began to fall, his face red with frustration. "I heard your voice... I ran into the pouring rain, just to find you...!"

He took a closer look at her leg, the same one he taken the time to care for and bandage. He closed his eyes, running his hand along it.

(Cold, rough, and wet...) That is what he felt from her fur. He opened his eyes again, somewhat relieved.

(Cold, rough, and wet...) He repeated it over and over in his mind. These are sensations that cannot be tricked...proof that she is real.

(Cold, rough, and wet...) After thinking it to himself enough times, he became tired. Even so, Daniel kept watch over her. He could hear her breathing over the storm outside, her chest rising and sinking back down with each breath. It was relaxing, reassuring him that she was doing much better then when he had first found her. That in itself was enough to put a sense of pride in his heart, and a smile on his face.

As time went by, the boys ability to keep awake diminished. His eyes began to relax, losing focus with each passing second.

Realizing he was losing the battle against sleep, he got up and opened the door in case she wanted to go out. He then grabbed a pillow and a blanket off from the bed, careful not to wake her.

He laid down on the floor, placing the pillow under his head and wrapping himself in the blanket. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

 **There you have it, chapter 1. Let me know what you think and how I could improve. And, no flames guys, I'd like to learn from my mistakes, not have people complain about them without giving any advice.**


	2. A new home

**Hey everyone! I'm back and bringing another chapter along with me. I'd like to give a huge thank you to Shadow3Zamorez for helping me out, and if you haven't already, go check him out! Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 2: "A new home"**

 _-Daniel's Room-_

His eyes slowly flickered open, trying to adjust to the dimly lit room. The boy let out a yawn, slowly lifting himself into an upright position. He stretched out in an attempt to relieve his sore back as he had slept on the floor due to a certain Pokémon.

Daniel picked himself off of the hardwood floor to check on her, but to his disbelief, the bed was empty. She was gone, having wandered off to who knows where. He looked towards the bedroom door remembering that he had left it open for her.

(Where could she have run off to?) He thought as he got up and crept over to the bathroom. He peered inside but she was nowhere to be seen.

(Downstairs maybe?) He began walking over to the staircase. When he reached the bottom he stopped, listening closely for any sounds that could help locate her. It was quiet and everything seemed untouched, but to Daniel something was off.

To anyone else however, there was nothing. Nothing at all except for the natural sounds and aromas of an ageing house. At times he would develop a keen sense of hearing and smell, or perhaps even find that his physical abilities were heightened for a short period of time.

His mother had taken him to numerous doctors and scientists, hoping to find out what was in fact wrong with him. Numerous amounts of tests given to him resulted in the same answer. All showed that he was perfectly healthy, having no problems whatsoever. Perhaps they were triggered by an unknown factor, or results of his emotional state? No one knew.

As he approached the living room, he couldn't help but notice that the T.V had been left on. It was turned to the daily news, talking about recent conflicts regarding Team Plasma and their threats against the Pokemon World Tournament. Members of the group had been last spotted east of Nuvema, their intentions unknown.

Daniel had known enough about the terror group to know that they were against all human and pokémon relations, though he never paid too much attention. Besides, he lived in a secluded area next to a vastly large forest, who would have any reason to bother him?

He grabbed the remote, turning the station to something a little more suitable such as a pokémon contest. Sometimes if he were lucky he'd catch some spectacular performances brought on by some well known trainers. It brought back old memories of when he first attended trainer school, and how eager he was to embark on his own journey. Unfortunately, his family had other plans and he never actually received his first pokémon. But now wasn't the time to dwell in the past, he had other things to worry about.

He made his way to the dining room, noticing a few chairs that had been moved around and that the bowl of fruit that once rested on the table had been knocked over. He cleaned the mess, and after a few moments of looking around he moved on. There was only a few other logical places she could be, the kitchen being one of the last areas.

When he entered the kitchen, he was shocked to find that the refrigerator was wide open and its contents spilled out onto the floor. All sorts of leftover food and desserts were torn from their containers.

"Guess she was hungry after all…" he said as he noticed a series of footprints tracked through the mess leading back to the stair case. He quickly cleaned it all up, and turned his attention back to the task at hand.

He followed them, stopping at the first step. (They weren't there when I came down...) He thought, looking up the stairwell, confused as to how she had managed to slip by him unnoticed.

As he reached the top of the stairs he paused, quietly listening for any signs of the pokémon's whereabouts. After a minute or two of sitting in silence, he began to resume his search. And that's when it happened. The air around him grew cold, and his surroundings disappeared as everything faded to black as if he was consumed by the empty void of space itself.

Feeling a cold chill crawl up his spine, he took a step forward into the unknown. He looked around as he felt something wet start to drip down upon his head. His surroundings slowly began to appear once more, but instead of finding himself back in the safety of his own home, he now found himself lost in the depths of an unforgiving forest.

He stood there stunned as to how he could have ended up in the middle of nowhere. Everything felt so real to him, from the plant life surrounding him to the sudden drops of rain upon his face.

Daniel looked up as another drop of water landed upon his cheek. The clouds above were an ominous dark grey. But before he could question the situation further, the rain began fall. It was growing stronger with each passing second. The roar of thunder could be heard in the distance as it rocked the surrounding wilderness.

He ran as fast as his body would allow him to, searching for some kind of shelter from the violent storm, and after a few minutes of nonstop running and the rain continuously battering his face he came across a cave. He wasted no time at all crawling inside.

His breathing was heavy, attempting to recover from the distance he had traveled in such a short amount of time. The cave itself was small, but big enough for him to fit into comfortably and still with some room to spare.

His mind was in turmoil as he tried to comprehend what was happening. He had to wonder, just how exactly did he end up here?

He continued to ponder the thought, watching as the rain continued to strike the earth outside, accompanied by the howling wind and occasional crack of thunder.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, the storm came to an end almost as quickly as it had begun. The once pitch black sky was now replaced with a beautiful shade of pink and golden light.

As he took a step outside the realization hit him. Zorua, an illusionist pokémon. Was she the cause of all of this? Perhaps this was indeed an illusion, or rather some form of dream.

(There must be a reason…) He thought back to the Pokedex entry and how it creates such illusions to throw off and scare potential enemies. (Is she afraid?) He thought. Maybe he could communicate with her.

"Um, h-hello?" (I just need to...try...) He thought to himself.

"Listen, I know you might be scared...but I'm not going to harm you..." He paused for a second allowing time to pass.

"You see, I brought you here and out of harm's way," He stopped, noticing the sound of soft footsteps around him, "I promise I won't hurt you. Could you please show yourself?"

He took a step back as the trees around him vanished, placing him back into reality. Standing in front of him at the top of the stairs was a Zorua. Her eyes watched him with curiosity and appeared to be holding a great deal of trust in him.

Daniel was stunned. Not only was she standing on two legs, but she wasn't all that short. Maybe around 5'11"? She was about the same height as his chest, give or take a few inches.

"Hi." He smiled, wiping her obvious differences from his thoughts. "You're a ways away from home, huh?" he asked hoping she would at least be able to understand him. She looked away as if about to cry and Daniel knew immediately what must've happened.

"Hey, it's alright. I'm here for you," he tried his best to assure her, bringing her into a gentle hug. She returned the show of affection with open arms, her soft fur warm to the touch.

After a few short moments, Daniel slowly eased his way out of the embrace to ask her one last question.

"Do you have a name?" He was not expecting a reply, but rather a simple nod of the head, but what happened next amazed him.

" _Yes, Meema used to call me Zarah._ " A soft, gentle voice flowed throughout his mind.

He blinked several times. Had she really just talked to him?

"Can you say something again?" He asked having a hard time believing what was happening. He needed to be sure.

" _Why?"_ she asked noticing the confused look on his face.

"So you can talk?"

"O _f course. Meema taught me how to do it. It's called telepathy,_ " she answered back with a hint of pride as if to boast.

(That's pretty cool…) "But what was up with the...illusion, was it?"

" _Yeah, s-sorry. I wasn't sure if I could trust you or not…I had to make sure,_ " she replied, thinking back to when she first awoke, " _I didn't know whether or not you were another one of those nasty people_..."

So far the boy showed no signs of being what she had first thought. In fact, he was the first human she had encountered that was genuinely kind and seemed quite trustworthy. It was a pleasant change of pace. No more running, at least for now that is.

"It's okay, I understand," he said, "I don't blame you."

" _Really_? _Y-you're not mad at me for doing that to you..._?"

"Me? Mad at you? That's ridiculous! He smiled. This too put a smile on her face, and if it weren't for her fur she'd be blatantly blushing as well.

"Well, Zarah, how would you like to stay here with me?" he asked, somewhat anxious for her response. He would hate to see her leave, but if that is what she wished, then he wasn't one to stop her. After all, it's her choice.

The fox's eyes grew wide filled with excitement. ( _He was the first human to show me any form of compassion, and now he's asking me to stay_?) She thought. ( _I mean, he does seem nice_...) She sat there for a moment going over her options before finally reaching her conclusion.

" _I-I'll stay...I kind of like it here anyways,_ " she said. ( _Besides, it sure beats being...all...alone_ …)

Daniel rose to his feet, eager to show her around. "Alright then, Zarah, let me show you around your new home."

 _-Later-_

After giving her the grand tour of the house, Daniel had found his way to the living room accompanied by his new found guest.

The two sat on the couch side by side. She was fast asleep, having snuggled up to him, finding comfort in using him as a pillow. He checked the time noticing how dark it had gotten. It was now 8:55 PM.

He was drowsy and the light from the television in a dark room had taken its toll on his eyes. Zarah laying against him didn't help either, the warmth from her fur was more than comforting. It put a smile on his face knowing she was much happier now than she was before.

A few more minutes passed, and with each second gone by, he grew more and more weary. But for some reason he wasn't able to fall asleep. Something was keeping him awake and he had no idea what. That is...until it hit him. His mother would be arriving back home at any moment. What would she think of their new guest…?

 **There you have it! That concludes chapter 2, Let me know what you think, and how I might improve. I hope to see you in the next one. Until then, I'm MatrixDan, and I wish you a wonderful time!**


	3. The diagnosis

**Hello readers! If you couldn't tell already, a lot has changed from the original uploads. Certain chapters were rewritten, and some replaced/added. A lot is coming your way in future chapters. But as always, enjoy!**

 **Chapter 3: "The diagnosis"**

"So let me get this straight," she looked back and forth between her son and the pokémon he held in his arms, "you found her alone out in the woods, and she was the one you claimed you were hearing...?" she questioned him once again, dumbfounded that what her son had been experiencing was seemingly true. She had come home at nine, expecting him to be in his room either watching television or sleeping but instead got quite the surprise.

"Yeah, she was in pretty bad shape so I brought her home," he replied, the said pokémon just now waking from her slumber, letting out a tired yet adorable yawn.

( _Who is she?_ ) A question rolled over his mind.

(This is my mother.) he answered back, or tried to that is. He turned is attention back to his awestricken mother.

"Why don't you say hi?" he asked.

"Say hi?-"

" _H-hello…_ " A soft, dazed voice passed through his mother's astonished mind. Her mouth opened out of curiosity and shock. (Is this really happening?) She thought.

"Hello," she replied, trying her hardest to avoid becoming filled with too much anxiety. Not only had he brought home a rare pokémon, but it wasn't exactly normal either. In her many years of working at a pokémon Center she had never seen anything like it until now. The Zorua almost looked like a normal human girl, save for the obvious features of her species.

"Well I guess I should apologize then..."

"Why?" Daniel looked up, confused as to what she meant.

"About everything. Look, I'm sorry I acted the way I did. If you had listened to me, god knows what would've happened to her."

"It's fine," He cut her off, "really, it's okay." Though he may have been angry with her not too long ago, she was still his mother. Nothing would ever change that.

She felt horrible for what she had said before. And now her son, who was alone for the majority of his life, though strange as she may be, has a new friend. And at that very moment, a strange thought crossed her mind.

She looked back to the zorua in question. (Could it be? After everything that's happened how could I have failed to realize this sooner?)

She let out an exhausted sigh and began making her way towards the staircase. "I'm heading to bed, and Ithink maybe you should too. We're going to go somewhere tomorrow so be up bright and early."

"What? Why?" he asked, but received no answer. He pondered what she had said for a minute or two before finally taking her advice.

He walked up the stairs holding Zarah in his arms as she had fallen back asleep. When he reached his bedroom he carefully set her down on the side of the bed closest to the wall.

He changed into his pajamas and slid into bed. There was a feeling that he couldn't shake. It was unexplainable. But he waved it off as nothing more than drowsiness, continuing to think about what his mother had said. Where is it she'd be taking him…?

 _-Early next morning-_

Both Daniel and Zarah sat patiently at the dining room table. His mother had woken them up fairly early and as usual whenever she had the time, made breakfast.

"It's hot, so be careful!" She warned, placing a plate full of eggs and bacon in front of the two of them.

Zarah stared at the arrangement for a moment, watching Daniel eat his first. "Here," he said noticing her try to use her bare hands, handing her a fork, "use this to eat."

" _But...how do you use it…_?" she asked, turning it over in her hand.

"Simple," He demonstrated, "like this." He began showing her how to properly hold and pick up food with it, and after a minute or two the rest came naturally to her.

He watched her eat. It was still strange to him, her appearance and all. (I've never seen anything like her…) He thought just as his mother returned to the table with a plate of her own, taking a seat across from the duo.

He took this as his opportunity to question her. "So...uh, where is it that you planned on taking me today?" He finished the meal in front of him, pushing the plate away.

"Hmm?" She looked up, "oh, right. I thought i'd make it up to you and take you to the city for a day. Have some fun for once."

"The city? You mean-?"

"Nimbasa," she said as she finished her eggs off, "perhaps it's time you meet someone," She looked over to Zarah with a smile, "we'll be leaving in a few minutes, so eat fast."

(I just hope _he_ can help explain all of this…) She thought, continuing to look back and forth between the two. (Maybe...it is true…)

 _-Later in Nimbasa City-_

The three of them continued walking down a narrow street, surrounded by various buildings and shops. Zarah walked side by side with Daniel, clinging tightly to his side. He figured it was because she was a little shy out in public, and rightfully so. The two caught the attention of almost everyone they had passed.

"I don't like this," Zarah whispered to him, "how much longer?"

"S-so, where is this place again?" Daniel asked as Zarah tugged on his sleeve.

"Actually, we're here," she assured him as she stopped in her tracks. They now stood in front of an old, two story house. But before he could even begin to question the place, the door flew wide open revealing an older man around his mid to late 70's.

"Jayne?! Is that you?!" he shouted excitedly, "it's been too long. How's my little girl been?!"

(Little...girl…?) Daniel looked back and forth between them, confused.

"Fine, but i'm here for other reasons," She turned around to look at her son. The man took notice to him as well, a huge smile forming across his face.

"Is this striking young fellow who I think he is?" he asked, eager to meet his grandson once again, "gosh, it's been so long hasn't it?"

"14 years to be exact," his mother replied as she looked at Daniel, motioning to the man in the doorway, "this is Ben. Your grandfather. You've only met once..."

"And who's this?" Ben asked, noticing the fairly unusual pokémon clinging to his grandson, "oh, where are my manners. Come in, come in," He stepped out of the doorway, allowing them inside. Zarah, who had been hiding behind Daniel for the duration of the conversation, followed suit.

 _-A few minutes later-_

The three of them sat on a couch in the living room waiting patiently for Ben, who had ran to the kitchen. Daniel, who was now shocked by the sudden revelation, rested on the far end of the sofa with Zarah sitting closely by his side.

"Who wants tea?" Ben asked as he returned to the living room with a platter. He set it down on a small pop up table, taking a seat in an old rocking chair as he poured himself a cup.

"So, what brings you here after so long?" he asked as he took a sip from the cup. His eyes traced along the three individuals on the couch, taking a careful look at both Daniel and his companion.

"You know why i'm here now, don't you?" The room fell silent as the two stared at each other. Meanwhile, both Daniel and Zarah sat confused as to what they were going on about.

Jayne looked to her son and continued. "I didn't want to believe it at first...but…It appears to be...true."

"Are you...sure?" He looked to his grandson and then to the unusual looking Zorua next to him, "after years of research…"

"Um, excuse me but, what exactly is going on?" Daniel finally spoke up. He had only just been introduced to someone he can barely remember, and now they're talking about who knows what.

"I'd like to at least be filled in…" He added.

"I-I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner..."

"What your mother is trying to say is that we may have an answer to the experiences you've had…"

"What are you saying?" he asked, interested in this so call answer.

"I guess we have some explaining to do, huh?" His mother looked to Ben as if signaling him to be the one to do it.

He sighed as he turned to face his grandson once again, "You see, before I came to this region I worked in a lab alongside Professor Elm in the Johto region. And later, Professor Rowan in Sinnoh." He paused to take a sip of tea.

"So you're a...scientist?"

"I was, yes." Jayne stood from her seat on the couch, leaving to go to the restroom.

"The answer to your experiences might have something to do with Isabelle. She was all the motivation I needed to do the work that I did…" He smiled cheerfully, "No matter how crazy I seemed."

"How so?" Daniel asked, wanting to know more. And why didn't his mother inform him of any of this?

"This may seem strange to you…but like I said, it's time you know. Isabelle was the cause for the research I did. You see her mother was, how do I put this? Not human..."

Daniel's eyes lit up hearing those last few words. (What does he mean, not human?)

"I didn't believe it when we first met either, but, it's true. Her mother was...a pokémon…" He looked to the Zorua sitting in Daniel's lap, "much like your friend there…"

( _Partner_?) Zarah looked up. ( _What does he mean_?)

"Are you saying…?" Daniel asked, hearing a confused voice from within his head.

"Yes," he confirmed, "by some miracle, a pokémon was able to give birth to a perfectly healthy baby girl. Well, almost perfect…" He got up from the chair and walked over to the basement door beneath the staircase, "follow me," he said, punching in what appeared to be a pin number on a digital lock, motioning for the two of them to follow suit.

It was nothing like Daniel expected it to be. It was like a secret laboratory of some sort. The walls of the room were a cold, white metal. There were also a few lab tables, chairs, and lights set up around the room with various types of machines lying around. Ben walked over to a desk in the far corner and began sifting through a set of drawers. Daniel waited for him to finish, taking a seat at one of the tables.

Once Ben found what he was looking for, he placed a single folder in front of Daniel to examin. It contained various lab results, experiments, and documents as well as a photo of a beautiful young girl. She had golden blonde hair with emerald green eyes and wore a white sun dress. One thing stood out though upon closer examination. On her left wrist was an unusual looking bracelet with a strange, dark orb embedded in it.

"That's Isabelle when she was around your age..." Ben said as he noticed Daniel staring at the picture, "taken a little over a year after the virus presented itself…"

"Virus?" Daniel asked, not only confused but curious as well.

"Correct," He pulled out a medical analysis sheet, "the virus, other known as Pokerus. It was believed that humans could not contract it," he said handing him the piece of paper.

On it was Isabelle's name, possessing personal information such as a birthdate, height and other various things Daniel didn't quite recognize. He gave it one last look over before handing it back.

"H-how did she get it…?" Daniel asked him.

"She was born with it. And not long after...it mutated," Ben told him.

"So what does all of this have to do with me…?" Daniel glanced over to Zarah, still curious as to how she was in anyway involved either.

"I'm glad you asked," Ben said as he walked over to the desk, returning the folder. He then reached underneath it, pulling out a silver and red keycard. He put it in the slot of a terminal next to the desk, and with a loud beep, a small, circular glass tube rose from the table Daniel was sitting at.

Inside was a bracelet similar to the one from the picture. It held a sense of history to it and the colors appeared to have dulled from over the years.

Ben walked back over to table and carefully removed the glass cover. He looked to his grandson, motioning towards the bracelet.

"I spent every ounce of time and money I had into designing this," he said as he gently picked it up and placed it in front of Daniel.

"when the virus mutated it caused very strange things to occur. Have you ever had such things happen to you?" Ben asked with increasing curiosity.

"Well, I-"

"-Would you mind trying it on for me?" he asked again.

"O-ok…" Daniel carefully reached out, grasping the bracelet in his hand. It was much lighter than he thought it would have been. Slowly, he wrapped it around his right hand, sliding it onto his wrist, the two clamps snapping together.

"Ahh!" He winced as an electric shock was sent flying up his arm, radiating throughout his entire body. It continued for a short time before dying down just as quickly as it had came.

He looked up to see Ben surprisingly calm about the whole incident, rubbing his chin. It was almost as if he expected such a thing to happen.

"What was that?!" Daniel questioned. His arm was now sore from what had just happened.

"So it's true then…" Benjamin looked back and forth between the bracelet and his grandson. "It appears that the virus has been passed down to you…"

"What? How can you be so certain?" Daniel, who was now slightly worried by his words, asked.

"Because I specifically designed it to detect and channel the effects of the virus, helping the affected individual better control it," He pointed to the pitch black orb embedded in it, "it will take some getting use to, but it is yours to keep and you must wear it at all times, or else it will become to uncontrollable for you to handle on your own."

(Uncontrollable…?) "what do you mean by that?" he asked. (Is it true? Is this the answer to everything? A measly bracelet?)

"You will find that on your own, but I must warn you. When it does occur, do not be afraid, you will learn to control it in time."

"But-"

"-No buts," He smiled, "I believe in you. Now go, your mother is waiting."

- _Several minutes later-_

The three of them continued walking back to their car a few blocks away. All the while Daniel continued to question what his grandfather meant by 'uncontrollable'. This was all so new to him, and yet he still had dozens of unanswered questions. One specifically pertaining to Zarah. Perhaps there was something more that had yet to be explained.

(Why does everything have to be so secretive?) He sighed as he kicked a rock across the road.

Just as they rounded the corner of the street, now just a few yards from the car, Zarah stopped dead in her tracks, bringing Daniel to a halt. He looked back to see what the matter was, still eager to hurry back home.

She stood silent, her ears perked up, staring off to the side of the street. She had a sort of curiosity on her face and a strange look in her eye. Slowly, he followed her gaze, coming to rest upon a park entrance where to trainers appeared to be gearing up for battle.

One of the two boys, who wore a black hoodie was the first to go, throwing out his very own Pokemon.

"Come on out Buizel! Show 'em what you got!" the boy shouted to the water Pokemon, who seemed to be filled with energy and ready for battle.

"Well alright then. My turn. Go Charmeleon!" the other boy, who wore a red long sleeve shirt commanded. It landed on its two hind legs, letting out a roar in an attempt to intimidate its opponent.

The battle had now begun, both trainer and Pokemon locked in an exciting battle.

Daniel, however, watched in confusion. Why use a Pokemon with a distinct type disadvantage over its opponent? Surely nothing good could come of it, right? But before he could further question the motives behind the decision, the boys Buizel sprang to life.

It dashed forward, releasing a powerful blast of water at the Charmeleon. The jet stream struck the fire Pokemon head on, forcing a grunt from it as it struggled to maintain its ground. Again, the Buizel let out another blast of water, striking Charmeleon with ease.

Buizel tried for another shot at Charmeleon. But before it could make contact, the fire Pokemon let out searing hot flame of its own, both fire and water colliding in the center causing a cloud of hot steam.

Charmeleon used this temporary smoke screen to its advantage, and with great speed, unleashed dozens of slashes with enormous power. It quickly backed off just as quick, Buizel staggering to recover from the hits it had received.

As soon as it recovered, Buizel saw this as its opportunity, getting into a pouncing position. Charmeleon stood still acting clueless as if mocking its foe.

Buizel lunged at the fire lizard, attempting to sink its teeth into the creature. However, Charmeleon quickly dashed forward, rolling underneath Buizel and out of its way.

Before Buizel had time to turn around, the Charmeleon lunged, throwing an electrified punch. It landed with ease, sending its enemy flying.

Buizel picked itself up, a tiny bit of blood seeping through the Pokemon's fur. The two of them approached each other once again as Charmeleon began to slowly circle Buizel.

"Way to go buddy! Now lets finish this!" Charmeleon's trainer yelled, ready to end it once and for all.

Both Daniel and Zarah sat witness to whole ordeal. A fire type beating a water type through its bond with its trainer. A truly fantastic sight.

Finally, Charmeleon made its final move, running at the injured Buizel before leaping into the sky, "dodge it!" The Buizel's trainer commanded, but it was too late. The damage from the previous attack left it paralyzed and unable to move.

Charmeleon's tail glowed a bright metallic silver, swinging it down with a great deal of force upon Buizel's head, knocking it unconscious. And just like that, the battle was over. Despite the odds, Charmeleon emerged victorious, using its superior skill to overcome its opponent. The energy within its trainer overflowed as the disappointed boy withdrew his Buizel, defeated.

"Woah, that was pretty cool." Daniel thought aloud as he felt a tug at his hand. He looked down to see Zarah with a curious expression on her face. "what is it?" he asked.

" _What were they doing?_ " Her curiosity getting the better of her.

"They were battling. A show of strength between trainer and Pokemon."

" _Well I will become strong too!_ " She protested.

"that so?" he chuckled, taking her declaration lightheartedly, "I think you'd be a little _too_ strong." He joked, earning himself a smile in return. They both jumped hearing the sudden sound of a car horn.

It was his mother. She sat waiting patiently for the two of them. That was another thing that popped into mind. What more was she neglecting to tell him? He was sure there was more to everything.

He quickly grabbed Zarah by the hand, not wanting to make his mother wait any longer, dragging her along with him. His eagerness to return home soon returned as he buckled himself in. The only thing that stood between him and home now was the hour long drive. He sighed, looking to the bracelet on his wrist thinking about what Zarah had said. Perhaps his very own adventure was just about to unfold...

 **There you have it, the new chapter 3! As you may have seen, there was a small bit of foreshadowing for what's in store for Daniel later on in the story, until then, it'll be a mystery. Let me know what you think, constructive criticism is very much appreciated. It's back to work for now, and there might be a Halloween one-shot in the making, we'll see. So watch out for that. And as for my Halo fan fic, don't worry, it's close. Until next time, stay frosty my friends! ;)**


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